A Family Camping Trip
by ncistatelover
Summary: What happens when Team Gibbs goes camping? Tate, Jibbs and McAbby! I wrote this ages ago when I was away so I hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

A large silver minibus pulled in through the campground gates, loud country music pouring out of the fully opened windows.

It was the middle of August, and the entirety of Team Gibbs (excluding Ziva David, Donald Mallard and Jimmy Palmer, who were extremely busy at work) had decided to take a couple of vacation days. The team, plus Director Jenny Sheppard (who had a deputy filling in for her), had come to a secluded campground that was located in the middle of a hidden forest. According to Gibbs, who'd been coming to this place for years, this was the perfect place to leave behind the chaos of the Navy Yard and spend some time in the peace of nature.

As the vehicle came to a steady standstill, the music stopped and the heavy doors slid open to reveal Anthony DiNozzo, dressed like a rebellious middle schooler about to go on school camp. He took one glance at his woodland surroundings and leaped straight out into them. One thing that very few people knew about Tony was that he loved the outdoors, and couldn't get enough of it really.

Next came Special Agent Kate Todd- a lady who, unlike her boyfriend, was not one with nature. Kate had never been camping before and had no clue how it worked, but was excited to try it, hoping that it would increase her sense of adventure. Tony held out his hands and she took them, using them to steady herself as she jumped out of the minibus and landed lightly beside him with a smile. They hadn't been together for much longer than six months, but those six months had been the best ones in her life so far.

Then, there was Tim McGee and Abby Scuito. Tim absolutely loved camping. As an ex-scout, he liked to go every summer for at least a week, to remind himself of the joys of his youth. Abby had been camping with him twice before, and had found both times rather enjoyable. She had also proven to have been useful at disposing of various spiders and other creepy crawlies.

Jenny Sheppard was the next to depart the minibus. Jen loved being outside and wasn't fazed by bugs, but she hated camping. She didn't really know why, it'd just never appealed to her- so when Gibbs had called her and asked her to come, she'd been the most reluctant out of the group. Nether the less, she had come under the philosophy of ' _what could possibly go wrong?_ '

Finally, out came the man himself: Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Gibbs had been coming to this campground for decades- since way back in his Marine days. He thought that it was time that he bought his team, AKA his family, here so that they could grow even closer than they already were.

"Right everyone!" he shouted, "Everyone has a job to do before sunset comes. Abby, McGee! You two can unload the van! Tony, Kate! You two, go and collect wood- we're having a campfire later! Jen!" He turned to his old partner and current girlfriend, "With me."

The team spread out in different directions, Abby and Tim to the back of the van, Tony and Kate into the woods. Jenny followed Gibbs over to a clearing where there was a patch of luscious green grass sheltered by towering oak trees.

"Have you ever put up a tent Jen?"

Jenny thought about this for a moment. "Once- myself and some friends went camping in Oregon once." She shuddered at the memory.

"And?"

"It collapsed on top of us at around 3 AM."

Gibbs chuckled. "This should be interesting then!" He said, taking her hand.

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 **A/N: Hey people! Surprise upload! No it isn't Wednesday or Sunday, but I wrote this a while ago when I was on holiday. This will be updated every Monday :). I hope you like this- it's pure fluff and has lots of shipping!**

 **Louise :)**


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't believe that Gibbs made us leave all of our phones and computers behind!" Abby whined as she and Tim opened the trunk of the minibus.

The trunk had been crammed full with bags of all different kinds. There were handbags, backpacks, professional camping bags and suitcases, along with crates of food and boxes containing games such as swing ball and cricket. There was also a football and a tennis set.

"I don't see why you're complaining!" Tim replied, "Gibbs gave you the camera!" It was true- everyone had been made to leave behind their phones, laptops and even mp3 players. The only camera that had been bought with them had been given to Abby, as Gibbs knew that she would go mental if she didn't have at least something electronic with her.

Abby smirked contentedly. She was very excited to be the owner of the camera that would create many memories that would let the team look back on their fun time on vacation.

McGee sighed, dumping a brown leather handbag (which probably belonged to Kate) and a crimson backpack (which was Tony's) onto the grass before pulling Abby into a tight bear hug.

"There's just no pleasing some people, is there?" He joked, spinning them both around slowly.

Abby giggled, slapping on his arm lightly. "How much stuff did you bring?"

Tim grinned and pointed a tiny grey backpack that was sat in the corner of the trunk.

Abby gawped, "How…"

"When you've been going camping for as long as I have, you learn the tricks of extremely light packing!" He said, "Why, how much did you bring?"

She pointed to two bags- a black and grey skull printed camping bag and a maroon backpack. Piled on top of them was a giant white cardboard box with no labels on it.

"Abs…"He began, "What's in the box?"

"That, Timmy, is a surprise for everyone for this evening!"

Tim raised his eyebrow suspiciously as Abby giggled at his confusion.

"Wait and see how much Kate packed!" She smirked.

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 **A/N: Hey! I'm so sorry for not updating Aria last Wednesday- I was busy with homework and then I was ill so I haven't had a chance to write it! I'm going to upload a chapter later and then another on Wednesday (like I said I would). I hope you like the McAbby in this chapter- they were actually my OTP before Tate was so I may upload more fics based on them in the future!**

 **For those of you who think I'm being unfair by not putting Ziva in this fic (yet- she will be in the future!)- this is set in Season 3, when Ziva has just transfered from Mossad to NCIS. During this fic, she is caught up in Mossad buisness (you know what her dad is like) and is unable to attend the trip in full!**

 **Louise :)**


	3. Chapter 3

"It's so beautiful here!" Kate exclaimed as they walked through the woodland, arms full of firewood.

Tony and Kate had left the team's base on a search for suitable wood for an evening campfire. The search had taken them on a trek through the woods on a gravel footpath which seemed to be leading them nowhere in particular.

"I know right." Tony replied, glancing over at her blissfully as she stared up into the luscious green canopy above them. He breathed in deeply, taking in the natural air. Suddenly, he spotted something silver, glimmering through a clearing in the trees. He abandoned his wood at his feet and motioned for Kate to do the same before grabbing her hand and dashing off towards the mysterious sight.

"Tony babe," she giggled, "Where are we going?"

"Wait and see!" He said, panting as they ran.

Eventually, they reached a point where the trees thinned out and the dirt turned into sand. The unknown glittering turned out to be a completely flat lake, its pristine surface only disturbed by the gentle waves which lapped around the legs of the wooden pier which stretched out into the middle of it. They were standing in a cove.

"Come on DiNozzo!" Kate cried, marvelling at the landscape. She dragged him out to the end of the pier, a huge grin washing across her face.

He took in the awe-inspiring landscape: the lake was surrounded by huge, rolling, evergreen hills, adorned by hundreds of trees of all different types. There were mini coves cut into the rocks that lay at the water's edge, each accompanied by their own series' of hidden caves and tunnels.

"This is perfect." Tony sighed, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend tightly as the summer rays beamed down on them, making the lake cast tiny rainbows everywhere. It was truly magical. He looked down at Kate and noticed her smirking mischievously up at him, a troublesome glint in her eye. "What?" He enquired.

"Do you have anything valuable on you?" She asked cheekily.

He raised an eyebrow. "No, wh…"

The peace was shattered as two hands shoved him strongly in the back, causing him to topple head first into the water. It was freezing cold and sent him spluttering, but he could feel the ground beneath his feet so he didn't mind. Kate just stood on the pier, her knees giving out from under her as she collapsed in a fit of laughter.

"Are you gonna come in and join me or will I have to take matters into my own hands?" He chuckled.

Kate grinned before leaping into the crystal water beside him, foam spraying everywhere.

"Happy?" She giggled.

"Not yet," he murmured before crushing his lips against hers, the sweet taste of her mingling with that of the still lake water.

When he pulled away, his eyes were shining brightly. "Now I'm happy."

Kate smirked, cupping his chin in her hand. "Gibbs is gonna kill us."

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 **A/N: Hey! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll come back and continue reading next time! I'm trying to keep up with my schedule better so it should be on time!**

 **Louise :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Jenny laughed as she struggled to hold up her side of the huge khaki tent. With the weight of about 6 metal poles upon her, all she could do was hope that Gibbs would hurry up securing the tent in place. "Jethro, hurry up! I'm dying over here!"

Gibbs, who was going around the edges of the tent clipping in poles and hammering down pegs heard Jen's cry and slipped up behind her, pecking her on the cheek.

"Aren't you gonna do this one?"He asked.

Jen huffed sarcastically, "How do you do it?"

Gibbs took her hands in his and used them to clamp the tent pole into place. Then, he knelt down beside her and knocked the supporting peg into the ground with a mallet. Once he was done, he stood up again to face her.

"Done," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly.

"What now?" She asked, hugging him back.

He held up his hand slowly, telling her to wait silently. "MCGEE, ABS!" He yelled.

There was a lot of rustling coming from the direction of the van before a muffled response of "yeah!"

"Have you finished unpacking?"

"Yeah!"

"Then stop with the PDA and come and help us!"

McGee and Abby emerged from the trees behind the van, looking flustered and slightly embarrassed.

"We need to move everything into the tent and put up the inner lining." Gibbs stated. "We need this done before everyone else arrives, and since Tony and Kate have apparently disappeared, we need to work quickly."

So, the two couples got to work. Gibbs and Tim did the heavy lifting of boxes, bags and crates into the living space of the tent, while Jenny and Abby constructed the three bedrooms by hooking up the inner lining of the tent. It only took about 45 minutes with the four of them working together, and once they were done, they retreated back outside.

"Where the hell are Kate and DiNozzo?"

Just as the words left his lips, his two agents emerged from a gap in the trees, drenched and carrying armfuls of wood. They were joking and laughing and playfully bickering, as always.

"What happened to you two?" Abby gaped.

"Fell in a lake, tragically," Tony responded ironically, dropping his firewood in a pile at his feet. Kate shortly followed this action.

"Yeah," Kate giggled, falling against her boyfriend, who rested his cheek in her wet hair.

"Enough fooling around!" The boss interrupted, "we've got plenty to do before the others arrive."

The team spread out across the clearing: the lads built a campfire out of the tons of wood that Tony and Kate had gathered and dragged large logs around it to act as benches, while the ladies sorted out food for the evening, laughing and gossiping and chatting away.

Suddenly, there was the beeping of a horn and a Jimmy Palmer's metallic silver car pulled in through the campground gates. The team gave a cheer, delighted that their friends had arrived.

"They're here!" Abby cried in delight.

When the vehicle had come to a stop, out jumped Mossad liaison officer Ziva David. Ziva had only been part of the team for a few months, but was already loved by many for her sassy nature and impressing background. She liked to play practical jokes on various people, and she and Kate had clicked instantly, forming an unlikely friendship and become a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, she was unable to stay overnight on the trip due to an ongoing Mossad issue, but was still incredibly willing to visit. The officer was followed by Ducky, who was caught up down in autopsy and didn't fancy staying outdoors at his age anyway, and Jimmy, who had decided to stay behind to keep the doctor company.

Kate and Abby immediately ran over to greet Ziva while Tim hugged the medical assistant in a brotherly manor. Gibbs and Jenny welcomed Ducky warmly to the little site.

"The whole family is here!" Tony joked, sauntering over to join the group.

McGee and Abby shared a mischievous, secretive glance. "Let's get this party started!" They chorused.

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 **A/N: Hey! I hope you like this chapter, I'm so happy to bring this fic back! There's only one chapter left to upload before this fic is completely done and I can focus on uploading Aria and other short fics!**

 **Stay tuned for more!**

 **Louise :)**


	5. Chapter 5

The campfire crackled as Gibbs and Jenny toasted marshmallows over the gold, amber and crimson flames that arose from its depths.

"You know Jethro," Jen smiled, "I'm glad I came on this little excursion with you and the others- I've enjoyed myself quite a lot more than I thought I would."

The corners of Gibbs' mouth twitched into a rare grin. "Me too," he replied, wrapping an arm around her back.

Behind them, battling it out on the swingball set were Kate and Ziva, the two highly trained fighters. It was a sight to behold, the both of them nearly knocking the game over because they were whacking the tennis ball back and forth so fiercely. Nobody came near them: they were afraid of getting knocked out by a racket or ball. The game was moving so fast that you couldn't really tell who was winning, which is why it quickly ended, as the two friends came to the conclusion that they were evenly matched and that neither of them was going to win.

After giving each other a friendly hug, Ziva and Kate parted ways- Ziva heading over to sit by the fire and Kate rushing over to her boyfriend.

"You two looked like you were trying to kill each other!" Tony stated, his eyes gleaming as he grinned down at her. Kate laughed at this comment and smiled back at him.

Tony pulled two sparklers out from behind his back. "Courtesy of McAbby," he said, handing her one and drawing out a lighter.

As he set them alight, the sparklers fizzed with golden starts that bounced onto the grass and faded among the green.

Kate grinned as Tony wrote 'I love Caitlin Todd' in the space in front of him, the words glowing iridescently before vanishing into thin air. She in response wrote 'I love Anthony DiNozzo.'

Across the glen, Tim and Abby unpacked the contents of the mysterious white box and set them out on the ground.

"You ready for this?" Abby smirked at McGee.

Ducky, who was sat by the campfire showing his assistant how to play the harmonica stopped as Jimmy held up a hand for silence.

"What's that whistling sound?" He asked.

The whole team raised their heads to the sky just in time to see an explosion of sapphire glitter light up the sky as McGee and Abby's fireworks launched into the sky and showered the site. One after the other, the teammates ran to stand by their friends as emerald green, ruby red and stunning silver lit up the sky, popping and fizzing and crackling, lighting up the entire countryside and echoing for miles around.

Kate had one arm around Tony, the other around Ziva, who stood beside Jimmy. Abby and McGee stood with Ducky and marvelled at the display. Gibbs and Jenny were beside them, gazing not at the fireworks, but the people watching them.

"It's great to see the family together isn't it?" Jenny smiled up at Gibbs.

The usually stone cold man hugged her close and grinned at the group.

"It sure is, Jen."

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 **A/N: So that's it: the end of this fic! I'm glad that it's finally finished and am looking forward to writing more! I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with my Monday upload slot yet but I'll probably put up an extra Aria chapter until I've decided.**

 **Yes, I will be uploading Ari on Wednesday- sorry for my lack of updates! My school breaks up on Friday, so I will be writing a lot over the next couple of weeks! Stay tuned!**

 **Louise :)**


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